


Be Your Light

by Survivingltgs



Series: Light [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dark Castle, F/M, Fluffy, True Love, enchanted forest, witha little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:27:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29182512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Survivingltgs/pseuds/Survivingltgs
Summary: Belle refused to leave after their kiss. She finds a book that can show Rumple the way back to his son.
Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Series: Light [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2164368
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Be Your Light

"I told you to leave, go home, go anywhere, I don't care, just leave here and never return," Rumpelstiltskin growled.

" I heard you," Belle said with a shrug, "But I am not going anywhere." 

Belle looked around, feeling out of place, she realized Rumple had magicked her out of the castle. She was on the road to town. Insufferable man, she thought to herself with a huff. She turned and stomped her way back to the castle. She was relieved when the doors opened, so he wasn't going to banish her.

"Why do you keep coming back," Rumple said in a pleading voice.

"I love you," Belle said, trying to will him to believe it.

"Lies! No one could ever love me. I am the Dark One, a Beast, a monster," he roared. "The only reason you are here is because you want something," He eyed her hard, "What is it that you want? Gold? Power?" He danced around her in his usual fashion, trying to dig deep to figure this girl out. She never was one to want anything from him, why did she keep coming back?

"I want you, Rumpelstiltskin. The kiss proves it, you are my true love," Belle said.

"NO! The kiss proves nothing," Rumple flared in her face.

"How can you say that," Belle's voice raised two octaves, "The curse started to break! True love's kiss can break any curse, even yours. Why won't you let the Dark One go? We can be happy together"

"My motives are none of your concern." Rumple's voice was low, almost husky, the hurt deep in his eyes. Belle reached out and grasped Rumple's chin, raising his head so he would look at her.

"I said forever, and I mean to honor that. Besides, you need a caretaker, now more than ever," Belle said searching his eyes. "I know you are scared. You've had this power for centuries, I imagine it is not something easy to let go of. I want to stay, Rumple. Stay with you, care for you, love you,” she sighed, “We do not have to kiss. I do not want to take this before you are ready."

Rumple deflated, "You are too good Belle. I am nothing but Darkness. Nothing good will come from you staying. Darkness should not be your fate."

"No one decides my fate but me, Rumple, you should know that," Belle gave him a small smile, both their thoughts going back to the day they made their deal. How could they have ever imagined this is where they would end up.

"Belle-" Rumple looked up suddenly but backed down. Silence hung between them. Rumpelstiltskin took a deep breath.

"Do the brave thing and bravery will follow," Belle said quietly, patiently waiting for what Rumple had to say.

"I did not set out to be dark," Rumple said, all his showmanship gone, he was closer to a man than Belle had ever seen before. "I took this power to keep my son safe. To never feel powerless again, never let my son see me knocked down by another." He paused, steeling himself for what came next. "And then he left, and I was just the same coward I had always been and I let him go. I have been searching for him, across all the realms. I have to find him Belle, I have to tell him I am sorry."

"Oh, Rumple," Belle took him in her arms and held him. Belle could feel him tremble, could feel wetness on her shoulders, suddenly aware the Dark One was crying.

"Everything I touch ends in Darkness," Rumple said quietly, pulling back from Belle.

"Maybe I can be your light, Rumpelstiltskin," Belle said, trying to pass her hope on to him.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next few weeks passed in a quiet loop, the two falling into a new tentative routine. Belle kept up her maid duties, but had seen more of Rumple. They took their meals together, had tea, and he even accompanied her while she worked in the garden. While he was a way she spent most of her time in the library, there were so many books she wanted to read. She found one, called Storybrook. A small town was created in a land without magic, the townsfolk transported via curse made by an evil queen to take away happiness. Of course there was a hero, but it was a woman. The Savior, as she was called, broke the curse with True Love's Kiss. But to Belle's surprise it was True Love for her son...not a lover. Belle had never thought about True Love being between a child and a parent, but she thought of the love for her mother and knew it could be. Her mind started racing. She said in silence, her gaze directed out the window, the cogs in her head turning at breakneck speed.

"Dearest," a voice startled her out of her reverie, "are you alright?" Rumple was staring at her, an odd look on his face. Belle stared back, unsure of how much time had passed. "You missed our tea," Rumple answered her question.

"You love your son," Belle stated.

"Yes, very much so." Rumple took a few tentative steps towards Belle, much like approaching a wild animal.

"You took the curse because of your love for him?" Belle asked, her mind clearly working hard.

"I did," Rumple reached the window seat where Belle said and perched next to her. "What is going on?"

"True Love," Belle said with a smile.

"Belle," Rumple said, a frown falling over his features, "We've talked about this."

"No!" Belle said excitedly, "Not you and I. You and your son."

"I don't understand."

"True love doesn't have to be between two lovers. What can be more powerful than the True Love between a parent and a child." Excitement glimmered in Belle's eyes as she continued, "If you and Bae had true love, and you took this curse because of that love, would it not figure that the curse has some root in True Love, in light magic?"

"Belle," Rumple breathed out her name, "Bae did not love me, he thought me a coward, someone weak and unable to stand up for myself."

"Rumple, the stories you have told me of the early days, that boy loved you more than you know, that kind of love just does not die. You have to explore this road." Belle had her hands on Rumpelstiltskin's shoulders, all but shaking him, she had to make him see this. “You choose this curse for love, you can choose to push past the darkness inside, Let the light in Rumpelstiltskin.”

“I am scared. What if I am not strong enough,” he asked.

“I will be right by your side, the entire way,” Belle said reassuringly.

“You will be my light,” Rumple said, a small smile on his face.

  
  
“Yes, I will be your light, and when you find your son, we will be a family,” Belle smiled at him. 

  
  



End file.
